Navy releases MUUV solicitation

By Justin Katz / May 22, 2020 at 10:53 AM

The Navy yesterday distributed a request for proposals to industry for the Medium Unmanned Underwater Vehicle, a new UUV program aimed at both intelligence gathering and mine countermeasures.

The solicitation is for the design, development, test and production of the MUUV, according to a May 22 Naval Sea Systems Command statement.

"In the Razorback Torpedo Tube Launch & Recovery (TTL&R) configuration, it will provide submarine-based autonomous oceanographic sensing and data collection in support of intelligence preparation of the operational environment," according to the statement.

Razorback is based on the Navy’s Littoral Battlespace Sensing Autonomous Undersea Vehicle, which has two deployment configurations: TTL&R and dry deck shelter. The MUUV solicitation only includes the TTL&R configuration, according to the statement.

"In the [Maritime Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures UUV] configuration, [MUUV] will provide persistent surface-launched and -recovered mine countermeasures," the statement continued.

The Navy will split the competition into two phases, according to a service spokesman. The first contract award is planned for early fiscal year 2021 and will include up to two contractors to design and produce prototypes. The second phase will include a limited competition between the phase one vendors competing for a contract to procure 25 MUUVs per year. The second phase contract is scheduled to be awarded in FY-23.

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